Mobile app store spending will pass $100bn by 2020 with Asia-Pacific accounting for the majority of revenues. South and Central America and Africa and the Middle East still lag behind, but will contribute the fastest growth as European and North American markets mature.

This report analyses mobile operator video strategies and opportunities, analysing the performance and strategies of the 25 leading operators globally. It also includes regional case studies and consumer survey analysis.

Reported mobile games company revenues tracked in this report grew 27% year-on-year in Q1 2017, with Chinese companies NetEase and Tencent leading the way. Beyond these two Chinese leaders, the market was more challenging -with many Japanese companies reporting a decline in mobile games revenues and Western publishers reporting only modest growth.

Japanese messaging platform Line announced the three main pillars of its five-year plan at its annual conference in June 2017:“Everything Connected”, “Everything Videolised” and “Everywhere AI”. The themes, products and services announced during the event highlight Line’s continued ambition to provide a more comprehensive ecosystem.

Amazon has partnered with UK-based mobile carrier billing vendor Bango to enable its Japanese retail store customers to charge transactions to their mobile phone bills.
At launch, Amazon will support billing for customers of NTT Docomo and Au (KDDI), which claim a combined total of over 120m subscriptions accounting for around 75% of the Japanese market according to IHS Markit data.

IHS Markit has published the new data for Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Android Pay. The new data provides information on Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Android Pay’s addressable smartphones by region and by country for 60+ countries from 2014 to 2021

The major mobile games companies which report quarterly mobile games revenues and are tracked in this report achieved a combined 22% year-on-year growth rate in Q3 2016. The quarter’s total revenues of $4.3bn compared with $3.5bn in the same quarter 2015.

Google's Android Pay expanded to five new markets during Q4 2016, which is more than Samsung Pay and Apple Pay, but Apple was still the leader for global expansion by the end of 2016. Retailers and online shopping platforms have stepped up their mobile payment activities.

Google has followed Apple by launching its Android Pay mobile payments service in Japan after Apple Pay’s debut in October 2016. To launch in Japan, Apple had to make sure its devices are compatible with FeliCa – the local contactless technology developed by Sony. Apple has designed its iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and Apple Watch Series 2 sold in Japan to support FeliCa Type-F NFC contactless technology. This will allow Apple Pay users to pay for in-store shopping and public transportation with Suica - the prepaid card.

As Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Android Pay were continually focusing on global expansion to further increase their user adoption during Q3 2016; operators and banks started to react to competitive threats with own brand mobile payments services.

Enabling payments is crucial for Messaging app platform strategies. Major messaging apps have launched mobile payments services in recent years, such as Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, WeChat and Line.This report focuses on the evolution, development strategies and challenges of messaging app payments services.

Chinese companies Tencent and Netease were once again driving growth in the overall mobile games business in H1 2016. The total reported mobile games publisher revenues increased 31% year-on-year to reach a combined total of $8.6bn compared with $7.6bn for the same period in 2015.

Nintendo unveiled Super Mario Run, its first full mobile game using its own IP, alongside the launch of Apple’s latest iPhone and Apple Watch devices.
Available as a paid download, the app is already featured in Apple’s App Store where interested users can sign up to be notified when the title is launched. Super Mario Run features Nintendo’s best known character in an endless runner game with three modes including: simple courses; a rally challenge mode; and a “create your own kingdom” area.
At the same event, Nintendo partner Niantic announced that it will bring its hugely popular Pokemon Go title to the Apple Watch.